NFL Draft Scores A Touchdown

Viewership of this year’s NFL draft was dramatically up, yet the social conversation spiked even higher in a clear example of how off-topic events can still drive conversation even in the coronavirus era.

Social conversation about the draft on Twitter saw a remarkable increase of 62%, with 838,000 tweets about the draft throughout the last week compared to 571,000 tweets the week of the 2019 draft.

That outpaces even the viewership of a record 15.6 million Americans tuning in to the opening night of the NFL Draft on Thursday. That’s a 37% increase compared to last year, which saw 11.4 million viewers on opening night of the Draft.

Some viewers tweeted about the new format this year as the draft aired from Commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement, while others kept their focus on the players. It seems fans embraced the return to a live sporting event and were grateful for the entertainment.

The event’s success shows sports’ unique ability to unite fans across the country, even during an unprecedented crisis. And it offers a glimmer of hope for broadcast events navigating new terrain.

 

Pandemic Will Accelerate Tech Supremacy

Post-pandemic, big tech is poised to get even bigger. A WPP analysis of how tech companies are weathering the storm found that despite major temporary setbacks like ad spend withdrawal and decreased valuation, these companies will emerge from the crisis even more inextricable from our lives. Here are WPP’s key observations:

• Accelerated Digital Transformation: The crisis has changed the way we work and play, increasing our reliance on tech giants (think Microsoft Teams and virtual happy hours).
• Ramped-Up Essential Services: Tech companies expanded services like grocery delivery and social networking capabilities to quickly fill growing public demand.
• Investment in People: While many companies are laying off workers, big tech employers are increasing recruitment, putting them in a strong position to rebound quickly.
• Stacked Coffers: Big tech companies have the financial resources to bounce back from a short-term economic hit. Many of their smaller competitors don’t have that luxury.

2020 will be a challenging year for tech, as it will be for most industries. But once the threat of COVID-19 has passed, big tech will be uniquely situated to address the many ways the crisis has changed our habits – and build accordingly.

COVID-19 By The Numbers

 

We’ve Got A Lot of Giving To Do

Many companies have transformed their operations to support the frontlines. 3M doubled its output of N95 respirator masks. Bacardi committed to producing over a quarter million gallons of hand sanitizer. And Ford reengineered assembly lines to produce respirators.

But many are also supporting broader philanthropic efforts to address the devastating effects of the crisis.

Estée Lauder donated $2 million to Doctors Without Borders. General Mills is rolling out a supplemental package of philanthropic grants aimed at food banks spanning Asia, Europe, Australia, Latin America and North America. And the NFL family has raised over $100 million to benefit Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, United Way, Feeding America and the CDC Foundation, including during its “Draft-A-Thon.”

But in a time of incredible need, it can be hard to know where donations matter most. New York Times columnist Nick Kristof’s new C-19 Impact Initiative, which spotlights five organizations doing life-saving work to keep people safe around the globe, is one place to start.

How We’re Using Social Media Is Changing

LinkedIn has long been known as a job search platform. But across the nation, people are turning to it for a variety of reasons.

According to LinkedIn, three times as many people watched mindfulness and stress management courses on LinkedIn Learning last month than the previous month. Additionally, users around the world are searching for news, education resources, career advice and more.

Top hashtags searched on the platform week-over-week include: #onlinelearning, #workfromhome and #crisismanagement.

Unsurprisingly, interest in remote jobs has skyrocketed, including a 43% increase from March in use of the “remote” job filter, and a 26% increase in the proportion of all job applications to remote positions.

And some industries appear to be more resilient than others. LinkedIn is only seeing slight dips in hiring across Software & IT Services, Public Safety, and Legal as compared to other industries.